Luxembourg, the fortress in a day: from the Bock Rock to Fort Thüngen, following in Vauban’s footsteps

Luxembourg-ville, à pied

It took sixteen years, from 1867 to 1883, to demolish Luxembourg’s fortress. The Treaty of London mandated its dismantling, and workers levelled bastions, redoubts and gates that had made the city one of Europe’s most hotly contested strongholds. They did not erase everything: beneath pedestrians’ feet and in the Alzette cliffs, galleries, towers and casemates still recount eight centuries of sieges, from Burgundy to Prussia. This day-long route links five of these sites, from the Renaissance palace of the Ville-Haute to the forts of the Kirchberg plateau, descending into the valley and ascending by funicular. In late November, it finds a natural extension: from 20 November 2026, the Winterlights markets take over Place d’Armes and Place de la Constitution, just minutes from the ramparts.